Nuclear Blast Records has announced that Finnish rockers AMORPHIS have re-signed with the label.

This is what guitar player Esa Holopainen states about the "home-coming": "Last year was quite difficult for AMORPHIS. We went through (another) lineup change as we decided that it's better if Mr. Koskinen leaves the band. We had problems with trying to promote our 'Far from the Sun' album as we were working with partners who rather enjoyed nice cappucinos than would actually work.

"Anyway, finding a new vocalist was tough, it was more difficult than we actually would have imagined. We received about 150 demos from people all around, some ...

---

A one-minute, 45-second sample of a new DEMONS & WIZARDS track, entitled "The Gunslinger", is available for download at this location.

"The Gunslinger" comes off the group's upcoming sophomore album, "Touched by the Crimson King", due on June 27 via SPV Records.

The follow-up to the group's 2001 self-titled CD, "Touched by the Crimson King" (view cover here) will fe ...

---

Finnish metallers CHILDREN OF BODOM have set "Are You Dead Yet" as the title of their upcoming album, due on September 21 via Spinefarm Records.

As previously reported, the band are currently in the studio recording the follow-up to 2003's "Hate Crew Deathroll". The drum tracks have already been completed and the guitars and bass are up next.

CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho and keyboardist Janne Wirman appeared on the Finnish radio show "Takahuone" on YleX early Wednesday morning (April 20). They were interviewed about the experiences on the road.

---

Sweden's OPETH are on the verge of inking a new record deal with Roadrunner Records, informed sources have told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. The band, who were previously signed to the now-defunct British label Music For Nations Records, recently entered Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden to begin recording their eight album, tentatively due later in the year.

OPETH will take part in the inaugural Sounds of the Underground tour, which is slated to kick off June 25 in Lowell, Massachusetts. Other bands scheduled to take part in the trek include CLUTCH, LAMB OF GOD, GWAR, POISON THE WELL, FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES, UNEARTH, EVERY TIME I DIE, CHIMAIRA, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, MADBALL and DEVILDRIVER.

---

OLD MAN'S CHILD guitarist Galder (also in DIMMU BORGIR) has posted the following message on the group's web site:

"The new OLD MAN'S CHILD album is now finally almost finished after a quite long break. It was recorded in Fredman [in Gothenburg, Sweden] once again since I was pretty satisfied with the sound on the 'In Defiance of Existence' album [2003]. It's going to be mixed in early May so you can expect that Century Media will push it so it comes out as soon as possible. I only have an unmixed version at home, but even that sounds pretty good, so I have a feeling it will sound very good when finally mixed. It has 8 new songs and a re-recording of the old song 'Born of the Fli ...

---

Reactivated death metal legends OBITUARY have just returned to Florida from Los Angeles, where they performed a one-off show with SLIPKNOT and SHADOWS FALL at the Forum. The group have posted the following update at their official web site:

"What a show! First thanks to SLIPKNOT for inviting us out to play this show! We had a blast and the L.A. fans where great! It was a long trip out to California for one show but well worth it. I would also like to say thanks to Big Daddy, Big Shirt and Rich for all their help!"

Check out photos from the SLIPKNOT show at

AURA NOIR bassist/vocalist Ole Jørgen Moe (a.k.a. Apollyon) has issued the following update on the condition of AURA NOIR guitarist Carl-Michael "Aggressor" Eide (INFERNÖ, VIRUS, VED BUENS ENDE, ex-CADAVER, ex-DHG), who fell from (or jumped off, depending on whose story you believe) a five-story building in Oslo, Norway on March 26:

"Carl Michael's condition is constantly improving. He's waking up these days but it's a long and delicate process that most probably is beyond painful for him, both physically and mentally. Like ourselves, he doesn't have any idea of what really happened. Doctors are of course very modest when asked about his future. Then again they're honest, so personally I consider it good news when they haven't said anything for a long time. I think they would have told us by now if they knew of anything specific that is impossible to train back to decent shape.

"His family appreciates all of the support."

---

Swedish melodic metallers LOST HORIZON are looking for a session singer, or stand-in singer, to perform with the group at festivals around Europe this year. "Even though it would make things easier, it is not necessary that the applicant lives around Gothenburg, or even in Sweden. Europe is close enough!" the band write on their web site.

Interested singers can apply by submitting a recording of themselves singing over an instrumental version of a LOST HORIZON song.

For more information, visit www.oncelosthorizon.com.

LOST HORIZON vocalist Daniel Heiman and gu ...

---

SPV Records has set an August 30 U.S. release date (one day earlier internationally) for the new BIOHAZARD album, "Means to an End". The complete track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. My Life, My Way
02. The Fire Burns Inside
03. Killing To Be Free
04. Filled With Hate
05. Devotion
06. Break It Away From Me
07. Kings Never Die
08. Don't Stand Alone
09. To The Grave
10. Set Me Free

BIOHAZARD guitarist Billy Graziadei had previously told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that the new material will feature a return to "the 'Urban Discipline'/'State of the World Address'-style of BIOHAZARD... I went back to the traditional tunings of BIOHAZARD and challenged myself to pull the heaviness out of the riffs and not the low tuning of A, like our last album ('Kill or be Killed')," he said.

---

The Seattle-based quintet NEVERMORE recently completed the recording process for their highly anticipated new album, "This Godless Endeavor", at Backstage Studios in England with legendary producer Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, OPETH). The highly anticipated new offering is currently set for a summer release. This will mark the group’s first recording with guitarist Steve Smyth (ex-TESTAMENT).

NEVERMORE will embark on massive six-week summer festival tour, dubbed the Gigantour, alongside MEGADETH, DREAM THEATER, FEAR FACTORY and THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN in late J ...

---